Women’s S&D Returns To Action Saturday vs. Evansville

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's swimming & diving program opens the new year Saturday when it hosts Evansville for Senior Day at the Lewellen Aquatic Center. The meet, which is scheduled to being at 2 p.m., will also feature the men's squad.

The women's seniors set to be recognized during Saturday's meet are Neely Agnew, Eliza Bader, Emma Horton, Hannah Jones, Lilia Newkirk, Gracey Payne and Grace Walker.

The Cardinals and the Aces have not crossed paths since the 2018 Indiana Intercollegiate hosted by Purdue. Ball State finished second among the six-team field that season with a score of 454, while Evansville took third place with a 348 total.

Fans can follow the action in Saturday's meet via Meet Mobile.

IN THE MAC RANKINGS
In the latest NCAA Division I Top Time Rankings as compiled by CollegeSwimming.com, the Cardinals have 10 student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events heading into Saturday's competition at home.

Women's Swimmers Currently Ranked in the MAC Top 16
50 Freestyle: 1st - Payton Kelly (22.52) / 5th - Anna Keen (22.82)
100 Freestyle: 2nd – Payton Kelly (49.06) / 10th – Anna Keen (50.10)
200 Freestyle: 2nd - Payton Kelly (1:47.77)
500 Freestyle: 14th – Callie Tuma (5:00.14)
1000 Freestyle: 3rd – McKenna Potteiger (10:17.41) / 6th – Payton Kelly (10:19.26) / 8th – Callie Tuma (10:23.18)
1650 Freestyle: 4th - McKenna Potteiger (17:03.20) / 5th - Callie Tuma (17:05.32)
100 Backstroke: 16th - Olivia Owens (55.86)
200 Backstroke: 7th - Olivia Owens (2:00.06) / 10th - Alyssa Messenger (2:01.49)
100 Breaststroke: 10th - Laura Wright (1:03.14) / 14th - Anna Keen (1:03.49)
200 Breaststroke: 14th - Julia Ofman (2:20.06)
100 Butterfly: 2nd - Anna Keen (53.84) / 16th - Ava Butterfield (56.00)
200 Butterfly: 1st - Alexa Von Holtz (1:59.70)
200 IM: 8th - Alexa Von Holtz (2:03.40)
400 IM: 5th - Alexa Von Holtz (4:21.48) / 13th - McKenna Potteiger (4:27.61)
200 Freestyle Relay: 4th – Ball State (1:31.95)
400 Freestyle Relay: 5th - Ball State (3:23.29)
800 Freestyle Relay: 5th – Ball State (7:31.98)
200 Medley Relay: 5th - Ball State (1:41.02)
400 Medley Relay: 5th – Ball State (3:42.94)


FROM THE DIVING BOARDS:
Graduate Grace Walker currently leads the Cardinals on both the 1M (293.10) and 3M (276.68) boards, with her 1M score being an NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying mark and the fourth-best individual score for six dives in program history.

Ball State Divers Top Results in 2024-25
Grace Walker (Gr.) - 293.10* on 1M / 276.68 on 3M
Leelah Fettig (So.) – 253.05 on 1M / 245.40 on 3M
Hannah Justice (Jr.) - 214.95 on 1M / 196.73 on 3M
Eeva-Liisa Gibson (Fr.) – 199.05 on 1M / 194.10 on 3M
Tommy-Anne Marriott (Fr.) - 185.85 on 1M / 237.30 on 3M
NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying Marks: 265 on 1M / 280 on 3M


MAC AWARD WINNERS:
So far this season, the Cardinals have already claimed one Mid-American Conference weekly award with junior Payton Kelly claiming her fifth career honor on December 11.

Swimming Award Winners:
12/11/2024 - Payton Kelly MAC Women's Swimmer of the Week


EVENT WINNERS:
As a squad, the Cardinals have chalked up 38 individual event wins and five relay victories so far this season.

2024-25 Women's Individual Event Winners (38)
10 - Payton Kelly (Jr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 100 Freestyle (51.97) / 200 Freestyle (1:51.25)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 50 Freestyle (23.60) / 100 Freestyle (51.83)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 100 Freestyle (52.30)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 100 Backstroke (57.16) / 1000 Freestyle (10:19.26)
      Dec. 5-7 at Miami Invitational: 50 Freestyle (22.52) / 200 Freestyle (1:47.77) / 100 Freestyle (49.06)

6 - Alexa Von Holtz (So.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 200 Butterfly (2:05.06)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 200 Butterfly (2:02.62) / 200 IM (2:07.28)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 200 Freestyle (1:57.05) / 100 Butterfly (57.44)
      Dec. 5-7 at Miami Invitational: 200 Butterfly (1:59.70)

6 - Laura Wright (Gr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 100 Butterfly (1:04.76) / 200 Butterfly (2:23.46)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 100 Butterfly (1:04.90) / 200 Butterfly (2:21.96)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 100 Breaststroke (1:04.71) / 200 Breaststroke (2:21.08)

3 - Grace Walker (Gr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 1M Diving (293.10) / 3M Diving (276.68)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 1M Diving (283.50)

2 - Leelah Fettig (So.)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 1M Diving (253.05) / 3M Diving (242.63)

2 - Anna Keen (Fr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 50 Freestyle (24.61)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 50 Freestyle (23.69)

2- Alyssa Messenger (Jr.)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 100 Backstroke (57.65) / 200 Backstroke (2:04.16)

2 - Lilia Newkirk (Sr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 100 Backstroke (57.69) / 200 Backstroke (2:05.10)

2 - Kiran Stauffer (Jr.)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 200 Butterfly (2:03.88) / 400 IM (4:32.57)

1 - Kayla Newman (So.)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 500 Freestyle (5:14.11)

1 - McKenna Potteiger (Fr.)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 1000 Freestyle (10:28.48)

1 - Haley Sakbun (Jr.)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 100 Freestyle (53.79)

2024-25 Women's Relay Winners (5)
3 - 200 Medley Relay
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: Keen, Sakbun, Stauffer, Kelly (3:30.84)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: Messenger, Ofman, Keen, Kelly (1:44.92)
Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: Messenger, Ofman, Bader, Sakbun (1:47.56)

2 - 400 Freestyle Relay
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: Newkirk, Wright, Keen, Kelly (1:44.68)
Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: Stauffer, Sakbun, Tuma, Kelly (3:37.54)

Women’s S&D Returns To Action Saturday vs. Evansville

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Neely Agnew

Eliza Bader

Ava Butterfield

Leelah Fettig

Eeva-Liisa Gibson

Emma Horton

Hannah Jones

Hannah Justice

Anna Keen

Payton Kelly

Tommy-Anne Marriott

Alyssa Messenger

Lilia Newkirk

Kayla Newman

Julia Ofman

Olivia Owens

Gracey Payne

McKenna Potteiger

Haley Sakbun

Kiran Stauffer

Callie Tuma

Alexa Von Holtz

Grace Walker

Laura Wright